What does it really feel like to leave home for the first time? 

For some, it is the excitement of discovering a new country. For others, it is the uncertainty of living independently, meeting new people and finding your way in a place where almost everything feels unfamiliar.

For our students preparing to continue their law, business, and media and comm degrees at universities across the United Kingdom, these questions will soon become reality. 

At the UK Bon Voyage Lunch, students and parents gathered to mark this important milestone, while hearing from those who had already taken the journey themselves. With students heading to over 20 UK partner university, the afternoon was more than a farewell. It was a chance to look ahead, reflect on what lies beyond the classroom and hear what studying abroad is really like from those who have been there. 

Opening the afternoon, Mr Raja Singham, Co-Founder and Chief Future Officer of BAC Education Group, encouraged students to look beyond the qualification they are about to earn. 

Studying in the UK, he reminded them, is not simply about graduating from a prestigious university. It is about becoming more independent, developing a broader outlook and discovering who they are outside the familiarity of home. 

From learning to manage their own finances and daily routines to navigating new cultures and meeting people from different backgrounds, these seemingly ordinary experiences will become an important part of their education. 

“Your parents gave you the opportunity; we have given you the foundation. The UK will give you the experience.” 

He also challenged them to remain curious and adaptable in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. For future lawyers especially, staying relevant will mean continuing to learn, embracing new technologies and developing the human qualities that technology cannot replace. 

His message was simple: go to the UK to earn the degree, but return having grown into someone capable of much more. 

If Mr Raja Singham’s message was about what lies ahead, Ahshwiyn Dharmond Ravindra offered the students a glimpse of what that journey feels like. 

As an alumnus who completed his studies at Queen’s University Belfast in July 2026, Ahshwiyn will begin his Bar and LL.M. at The University of Law, Liverpool, this September, looking back, he remembered sitting where the students were that day—excited, curious and perhaps a little uncertain about what came next. 

“Leaving home was one of the biggest decisions I’ve had to make.”

Moving to Belfast was about much more than earning a degree. It meant stepping away from family, familiar places and everything he had always known. 

There were moments when he missed home. There were academic challenges and times when he questioned his own abilities. But as he reflected: 

“Every obstacle became a lesson.” 

The experience taught him resilience, adaptability and the importance of building connections. More importantly, it helped him become a stronger and more confident person. 

For the students preparing to embark on their own UK journey, his advice was straightforward: “Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.” 

Say yes to new experiences, learn from mistakes, embrace diversity, build friendships and never underestimate what you can achieve. Because, as Ahshwiyn discovered in Belfast, some of the greatest lessons are not found in lecture halls.

For Ethan Kenzyna Lee Mync Yioo, a Northumbria University alumnus currently pursuing the Veritas MBA, studying in the UK came with its own unexpected lessons—and a fair amount of humour. 

So, how did he choose his university? Football had something to do with it. 

As a Newcastle United supporter, Northumbria seemed like an obvious choice. He also discovered that Newcastle had a reputation as a party city—an admission he jokingly hoped his parents would not hear. 

Then came another discovery: the UK is very windy. 

Ethan learned that lesson after breaking a few umbrellas. But behind the laughs was a more important message. Students should make the most of everything university life has to offer. 

From clubs and societies to international nights and friendships with people from different cultures, Ethan encouraged students not to limit their experience to their degree. 

When they are not studying? 

Explore. 

Visit nearby cities. Travel through Scotland and Ireland. If time and resources allow, explore Europe. Every new place offers another perspective, and every new person can broaden the way you see the world. 

For many students, the UK will also be their first real experience of independence. 

Ethan spoke candidly about how much he changed during his time in Newcastle. He had to manage his own money, keep up with his studies, make decisions for himself and take responsibility for everyday life. 

Independence can be daunting, but it can also be transformative. His advice was not to shy away from it, but to embrace it. 

For students worried about being far from home, he offered another reassurance: you are not alone. University support teams are there to help, while BAC’s support does not disappear once students leave Malaysia. 

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help.” 

Sometimes, knowing when to reach out is part of becoming independent too. 

While the students are the ones boarding the flights, the journey belongs to their families too. For parents, watching their children leave home can bring pride, excitement and, understandably, a little worry. 

BAC’s Director of Laws, Mr Reuben Rozario, congratulated the students on completing their studies and highlighted the sacrifices made by their parents to help them reach this point. With students heading to 20 university partners, he encouraged them to make the most of what may be a relatively short period abroad.

He also reminded students that BAC’s support does not end when they leave Malaysia. From guidance on pursuing the UK Bar to access to teaching and learning resources for key subjects, the Law Faculty will continue supporting students throughout their next chapter.  

For parents, Ethan offered perhaps the most heartfelt advice of the afternoon: allow their children the space to grow. 

Support, trust and let them discover who they are. Dr Raymond Markus Maskrin, Dean of the Global Business School at BAC Education, reminded students that their UK experience should extend beyond academics. 

Learn, he encouraged them—but also observe. Observe how people live and work. Experience different cultures. Explore different ways of doing things. Take everything they encounter and turn it into knowledge that can eventually make a difference in whatever profession they choose.  

Mr Timothy Chan, CEO of IACT College, offered a similar perspective, but with a list of the everyday “firsts” students might encounter abroad. 

Their first coin-operated laundry, their first supermarket trip where they have to compare prices, their first time figuring out an unfamiliar stove and their first time travelling far from home. 

These may seem like small moments, but they are precisely the experiences that shape independence. 

“Cherish all the firsts in your life,” Mr Timothy reminded the students. Because sometimes, growing up happens in the moments you least expect.

As the afternoon came to a close, the UK Bon Voyage Lunch felt less like a goodbye and more like the beginning of something new. 

In the coming weeks, these students will leave Malaysia for universities across the UK. Some will be living independently for the first time. Some will discover new cultures, new friendships and new challenges. 

There will be homesickness, moments of uncertainty and probably be a few broken umbrellas too. 

But there will also be countless firsts, unexpected friendships, new perspectives and opportunities to grow. As Ahshwiyn reflected on his own experience in Belfast, the greatest lesson was not simply what he learned through his degree. It was learning to be resilient, adaptable, independent and connected. 

Perhaps that is the real purpose of studying abroad. 

You leave home to earn a degree. But you return with a much bigger education.